The 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) concluded with an eventful 26th running of the Petit Le Mans endurance race at Road Atlanta (USA). In the ten-hour race, marked by numerous accidents and numerous deployments of the BMW XM Safety Car, the two BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 prototypes finished in seventh and eighth positions in the new GTP class. Turner Motorsport secured a podium finish in the GTD class with the BMW M4 GT3.
After ten hours filled with incidents, the race ended behind the safety car. The #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, driven by Connor De Phillippi (USA), Nick Yelloly (GBR), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), finished in seventh place. Directly behind them was the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, which had Augusto Farfus (BRA), Philipp Eng (AUT) and Marco Wittmann (GER) alternating at the wheel.
The Petit Le Mans race marked the end of the debut season for the BMW M Hybrid V8. In the nine races held in the new GTP class of the IMSA this year BMW M Team RLL secured five podium finishes with the vehicle, including a victory in the six-hour race at Watkins Glen (USA).
In the GTD class, Turner Motorsport concluded the season with a podium finish. Robby Foley, Patrick Gallagher and Michael Dinan (all USA) secured second place on the Petit Le Mans podium in the #96 BMW M4 GT3. Their teammates, Bill Auberlen, Chandler Hull and Thomas Merrill (all USA), finished seventh in the class in the #97 car. Unfortunately, Paul Miller Racing, which had already secured the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles in the GTD class before the season finale and also were the first team to win the IMSA Sprint Cup back-to-back, had a stroke of bad luck.
The #1 BMW M4 GT3 driven by Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow and Corey Lewis (all USA) was involved in an accident that was not their fault. After an extended repair break, the team initially resumed the race but eventually had to retire. Paul Miller Racing celebrated no fewer than five GTD wins this season.
